This invention relates generally to the selecting and filling of orders, and more particularly to use of a very simple, reusable card on which orders can be entered via displacement of bubbles or the like on the card, and operation of a reading apparatus or to sense bubble displacement and to urge displaced bubbles toward undisplaced positions.
There is need, as for example at fast food take-out establishments, or other order-receiving establishments, for means to enable rapid conversion of desired orders into groupings ready to be taken out or shipped. A major problem is the time required for the order giver to think through and remember what he desired, as he attempts to quickly convey this information to a clerk. Order changes are frequent as the order given attempts to state items and/or number of items to the clerk while he re-thinks his desires and the desires of others accompanying him or her at the establishment. There is a great deal of time wasted, and the order filling process is slowed to the inconvenience of those waiting in line to have their orders filled. There is need for means or system that obviates these and similar problems, including the need for a quickly programmable and reprogrammable menu device. Certain of such devices employing bubbles on cards are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,889,981, 4,808,805, and 4,812,630.
There is also need for apparatus or means to quickly "read" and "de-bubble" such cards having displaceable bubbles, and in particular flexible cards which become warped when selected bubbles are displaced, as for example manually. After such debubbling, the cards may be reused, i.e., reprogrammed for further use. Such cards may be general information bearing cards, and need not be restricted to fast-food, take-out menu cards. Also, there is need to store and read non-changeable, readable information on such cards.